Contact: Michael Warden, (512) 499-4363

Date: November 23, 2004

Statement Regarding the UT Dallas President Search

It is regrettable that, in the past week, two of the three finalists named by The University of Texas System Board of Regents for the presidency of UT Dallas – John C. Baldwin and Gary B. Schuster – have withdrawn their names from consideration. Each has done so for personal reasons. Both are highly qualified scholars and leaders and we regret that they will no longer be among those the board will consider for president.

In any lengthy and rigorous executive search process there is inevitably some attrition among the pool of eligible and qualified candidates. It is not unusual that good candidates do not finish the entire presidential selection cycle.

It is now up to Board of Regents to decide how these withdrawals will impact the selection process for president.

The board will determine the next course of action at a special called meeting to be held in Dallas on Thursday, Dec. 9, and Friday, Dec. 10. The meeting will be in conjunction with the board's previously scheduled health institutions retreat. Any action taken by the board will be announced publicly following the meeting.

The intention of the board remains to name the very best, most highly qualified candidate to lead UT Dallas on the retirement of its current president, Dr. Franklyn Jenifer. The board is confident that a successor will be named before Dr. Jenifer's formal retirement in August 2005.